Humans have used plants as medicine for an estimated 60,000 years. Cannabis species specifically have been used for health purposes since 2800 BC. For millennia, plants in the Cannabis genus were used to make paper, ropes and textiles. It was also a food source and used for spiritual practices dating back to the early Paleolithic period. Cannabis plant remnants have been found in China, Israel, Japan and modern-day Tajikistan.
Historically, Cannabis was used for cholera, tetanus, epilepsy, rheumatism and more.
Until the plant was effectively outlawed in 1937, it was widely prescribed by American herbalists and physicians. The Eclectic physicians, for example, relied heavily on Native American and Indigenous herbal practices, including the use of Cannabis. As recently as the start of the 20th century, they included Cannabis in their materia medica, which outlined their herbal practices and guidelines.
Botanists and taxonomists debate whether the plant genus Cannabis contains three distinct species or a single species with subspecies. Those who argue that the genus contains three species identify them as: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis.
CBG was first discovered in 1964, but research slowed afterward due to the relatively low concentration of CBG in mature cannabis plants. CBG is a precursor to THC, CBC, and CBD, and is rapidly converted into those compounds as the plant matures. Drug laws also slowed research on all cannabinoids until the 1980s.
In the 1980s, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and his team at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem studied CBD as a treatment for epilepsy. (By then, THC has also been discovered.) While found to be effective in animal studies, much of the cannabinoid research was put on hold, never reaching the crucial human clinical trial stage.
Once California legalized medical marijuana, research resumed in the 1990s. In 1992, Drs. Lumir Hanus and William Devane discovered endocannabinoids at Hebrew University, which contributed to the understanding of the entire endocannabinoid system. Since then, preclinical research into cannabinoids and the ECS has grown exponentially.
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized the regulated production and commercialization of Hemp. However, for many reasons, the majority of high-quality Hemp and cannabinoid research still lies in the preclinical stages. The barriers to clinical cannabinoids are multifactorial, including lack of funding and lack of access to adequate amounts of standardized products. Despite these challenges, clinical trials involving various cannabinoids are increasing quickly, and they are expected to show exciting results.
As a vertically integrated company, we grow and extract the Hemp used in Lazarus Naturals products. Since we own and operate our own farms, facilities and lab, we can keep quality high and prices low.
